He was, in fact, fast losing all his old habits of positivism. Latterly
he had seen much, but he had reflected more. The deeper he had
reflected, the more inclined he had become to accept the conclusion that
the less he knew. Hence he had decided that if M'Nicholl wanted an
argument it should not be with him. All speculative disputes he should
henceforth avoid; he would listen with pleasure to all that could be
urged on each side; he might even skirmish a little here and there as
the spirit moved him; but a regular pitched battle on a subject purely
speculative he was fully determined never again to enter into.
"Yes, dear Captain," he continued, "that pointed arrow of yours has by
no means missed its mark, but I can't deny that my faith is beginning to
be what you call a little 'shaky' in the existence of my friends the
Selenites. However, I should like to have your square opinion on the
matter. Barbican's also. We have witnessed many strange lunar phenomena
lately, closer and clearer than mortal eye ever rested on them before.
Has what we have seen confirmed any theory of yours or confounded any
hypothesis? Have you seen enough to induce you to adopt decided
conclusions? I will put the question formally.
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